1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of imparting high water dispersibility to protein products, and the resulting products thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dry protein products are often used as ingredients in consumer food and drink products, and particularly in “dry-mix” food and drink products which are sold in a powdered or particulate form, to which water is added by the consumer or end-user for consumption. One example of such a product is powdered non-fat dry milk. High water dispersibility of such protein products in water is an important feature, both for ease of preparation of the final products and for preventing clumping of the products as same are prepared.
Also, dry protein products are widely used as ingredients in the food industry for large scale production of food products. In many cases, it is a distinct advantage for users to be able to add a dry protein ingredient into water based formulations without the need for expensive high shear mixing equipment. Enhanced water dispersibility is an essential characteristic of dry protein products for use in low speed, low shear mixing processes. Also, low speed, low shear mixing processes, which are made possible with dispersibility enhanced ingredients, offer reduced foam formation, another important benefit to users.
It is known to add a surfactant, such as soy lecithin, to a dry, powdered or particulate protein product to impart water dispersibility to the protein product. The addition of surfactants to dry protein products sufficiently enhances the water dispersibility of most protein products, such as those in which less than about 80 wt. % of the protein therein is water soluble. Powdered protein products which have greater than about 80 wt. % of the protein therein being water soluble tend to spontaneously form gelled particles when wetted. The addition of surfactant alone to dry protein products which have greater than about 80 wt. % of the protein therein being water soluble has not been found to sufficiently enhance the water dispersibility of such products.
One known method for imparting increased water dispersibility to dry protein products is agglomeration, which generally involves combining the particles in a smaller particle sized material to form a material having larger, more water dispersible particles. However, agglomeration is disadvantageous in that same tends to be a rather expensive and complex process.
Therefore, there is a need in the food industry of a more cost effective method for enhancing the water dispersibility of dry protein products, and in particular, for enhancing the water dispersibility of powdered protein products in which greater than about 80 wt. % of the protein therein is water soluble protein.